Blank Space: A Cultural History of the Twenty-First Century
The solution is paradoxical: To move forward, we need to study the past, so thoroughly that it becomes boring—as boredom is one of the most reliable catalysts for innovation. The goal should be a disciplined engagement with historical works, paired with a futurist drive to forge entirely new creative pathways.
W. David Marx • Blank Space: A Cultural History of the Twenty-First Century
The canon has become a crutch for those bored with the present.
W. David Marx • Blank Space: A Cultural History of the Twenty-First Century
In the past, conservatives treated the canon as a sacred and complete archive, something to be preserved rather than expanded. This is precisely why the avant-garde sought to destroy it: Too much reverence for dead white men became an obstacle to creative liberation. But in truth, even the avant-garde needed the canon. The only way to invent
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We need creators to disappear into their own worlds for a while, developing ideas away from corporate influence and mainstream assimilation. Not everyone will have the discipline to do this—but those who do will shape the future of culture.
W. David Marx • Blank Space: A Cultural History of the Twenty-First Century
Every enduring cultural movement—hip-hop, rock, punk, streetwear—began as an insular, tightly knit community of like-minded peers. These groups were driven by dissatisfaction with the mainstream and a deep desire to create something new. Historically, these subcultures existed in real-world spaces—clubs, skate parks, dive bars, DIY venues—where
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The first step in reversing cultural stagnation is to accept that artistic invention is a social good. And like so many other social goods, we shouldn’t expect the market to optimize for its production. We have to make an effort. Creators need to try to make radical new forms of culture. Even their failures and half steps will be more interesting
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In his 2022 book, The Crisis of Culture, French scholar Olivier Roy argues that we have reached the end of cultural progress—what he calls the “deculturation of cultures.”
W. David Marx • Blank Space: A Cultural History of the Twenty-First Century
The audience, as internet critic Ryan Broderick put it, was full of “stinky guys” who spent their days vaping in sparsely decorated apartments, gambling on sports, playing Call of Duty, and funneling cash into parasocial bonds with OnlyFans models.
W. David Marx • Blank Space: A Cultural History of the Twenty-First Century
One early experiment in bridging that gap was Praxis, a libertarian start-up that aspired to build “an autonomous, high-tech nation” on an island in the Mediterranean. Founded by Dryden Brown, a twentysomething college dropout and former hedge-fund employee with a taste for Balenciaga, Praxis raised $19.2 million from crypto investors and
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